A little less than two weeks ago, I watched Star Trek XI, a departure from my normal non-canonical reading policy occasioned entirely by my love of Spock. We will not speak of the 94 pages and counting of STR drawerfic I have written in the last ten days (while having my Yuletide story beta-read and beta-reading another, and of course taking care of the earthling, and celebrating Hanukkah). What we will speak of, in sad, sad tones, is the lack of Spock in my life.

This is causing me to contemplate something entirely unprecedented: watching original Star Trek. For more Spock. (Actually seeing the movie gave me an unholy love not just of Reboot Spock but of Nimoy Spock, too. He is so awesome! He loves Jim so much! I want to squeeze his pointy ears OMG!)

But watching the whole series is entirely out of the question. I don't have the time, and I really really don't have the tolerance for television. So, dear people who have already seen the original series - if I'm only going to watch eight episodes, which is generally my max for any series, what should they be? (I am willing to watch both Spock-intensive and just generally awesome episodes. Also anything really slashy, of course. And if you want to include notes about why I should watch them, my love for you will be that much greater.)

Also helpful: any episodes that I should definitely avoid, for reasons of animal harm, child harm, or massive suckiness.

I thank you in advance. And so does Best Beloved, who will have to watch all these episodes at least twice - once without me, once with, so that she can explain what the hell is going on - and who is, frankly, just not that into Spock. If you want, I can even post episode reviews of the ones I end up watching, as an expression of my gratitude (and total Spock-driven insanity).

Everyone everywhere seems to agree on Amok Time and City on the Edge of Forever! I am pleased to see that the first one was written by Theodore Sturgeon, and OMG terrified to see that Harlan Ellison was responsible for the second. (Although, wow, Star Trek brought the big guns in the writing department. Why don't shows ever do that now?)

Amok Time is going to be the first one I watch, just going by the numbers.

Perhaps I should do a poll! All the ones that get nominated here, I can put in the poll, and then I can watch whichever ones get the most votes! Or, um, I can just watch things. That might make more sense.

My personal favorite episode is "The Way to Eden," but apparently there are some people in the world who aren't absolutely in love with space hippies. So, unless you are anti-space-hippie, I'd watch that; Spock gets some good scenes in that one ^__^

Trouble with Tribbles, natch. This Side of Paradise for the sex pollen. Mirror, Mirror for evil!goatee!Spock. Turnabout Intruder because Kirk as a woman is hot like burning, despite all the other issues that episode has. Plato's Stepchildren for the ... I don't even know what the fuck you'd call it.

Oh, also The Empath, which is possibly the episode that created hurt/comfort. Trufax.

I don't know from titles, so it's entirely possible this is one of the recs you already have, but the Pon Farr one. Because yes.(I'd also say The Trouble With Tribbles, But you can Google around and either find the LOLcat version or the 'illustrated in the style of Edward Gorey' version, and not really lose out. XD)And... that's about all the old school Trek I've seen, so!

Best Beloved is also strongly advocating the movies, although I think that's partly because she fears the series and partly because she likes the One with the Whales. (Seriously, all I know about it is that there are whales. Maybe they are space whales!)

I love so many if these but I seriously hate Galileo 7. It is the only TOS episode I pretend never happened. (The premise that people who think logically cannot comprehend that others do not is ugh. I feel like the writer just hated Spock and "logic" as concepts or something.)

As others have said, Amok Time (the One Where They Pretty Much Have Sex On Screen) and City on the Edge of Forever (The One Where Even Kirk's Love Interest Knows They're Married) are essential. Journey to Babel (The One Where Kirk Meets the In-Laws) is also good for seeing both Kirk be protective of Spock and understand him all too well. And Naked Time to see why he loves Jim best. So yeah. Those are all good Spock episodes. :)

Everyone else will tell you this, of course, but City At The Edge Of Forever is the very basis of ST slash. Galileo Seven is all Spock, just stupid. The one where they meet the nasty Nazi aliens who lock their asses up has half-naked Spock. The original pilot, if you can get it, has wild Spock.

Oh, and I have reviews of a couple of the movies here, should you want to--ah, get a movie fix. But be warned, this was when I had a crappy cap program and didn't know how to...you know, resize files. The actual picture size is fine, but the file size, well. If your computer is remotely slow, I cannot in good conscience recommend either post.

I guess it would be more accurate to say that while she likes Spock, she doesn't like him enough to suffer through a lot of sixties television. (Bad special effects! No budget! Gender and race politics enough to make any soul quail!)